Hi guys! Here's chapter two. Just a couple of notes, I won't be able to update this often because of school and stuff and I can't guarantee (at least for now) the chapters will be about the same length each time. I don't really know if you guys care about that or not. That's all. Enjoy the chapter!

Lizzie woke up about an hour later to the sound of her alarm clock. As she walked across the room to turn it off she couldn't help but be consumed by excitement. All the worries and guilts she had only earlier that morning faded away.

She dressed quickly and took one last look at her bedroom. She had tried to make it feel like home, almost everything in it was some shade of blue, her favorite color. There were several bookshelves full of science books, brain teasers, and a few novels, although Lizzie wasn't especially interested in stories. She had a big comfy beanbag chair where she would curl up to read. Next to that was her CD player and a stack of classical music. In one corner she had a desk where her laptop used to sit and in another was her bed where a few stuffed animals were still stored. One of her favorites, despite the protests of her mom, was a rat

She grabbed the bags she had packed and went downstairs as she thought about how much better off her family was after they left New York. Some of the excitement was fading and her stomach was churning with conflicting emotions.

The smell of French toast wafted from the kitchen. Lizzie set her bags at the door next to Gregor's and walked in. Her mom and dad were at the stove making the French toast, Gregor was pulling syrup and jams out of the fridge, and Boots was putting the plates around the table. Something was off in the room but she couldn't put her finger to it.

"Good morning, Lizzie," her mom said.

"Good morning," Lizzie replied. "Want some help with the table Boots?"

"Sure!" Boots said as she ran around the table with a pile of napkins. "You get the cups."

"Okay," Lizzie said as she walked towards the cupboard. That's when she realized what was wrong, before she must have just sensed the tension in the room but now she saw the cause of it.

Gregor closed the fridge and looked at her. She looked back venomously. What are you doing?! she thought but didn't dare say. Her mother also looked at Gregor in a disapproving way. All this over a simple t-shirt would seem bizarre in most cases. But it was what always used to happen and Gregor had stopped fighting against it, until today.

Gregor's red scares stood out against his pale skin, pale because his tan line was at his wrist. Their mom never let Gregor ware t-shirts, ever. He would of course, when he, Lizzie, and maybe their dad were alone but not at breakfast.

"Are you excited, Lizzie?" Her dad asked, obviously trying to break up the glare-fest.

"Excited, nervous, and a whole lot of other things," Lizzie replied as she placed the cups around the table.

"Well, boarding school is an excellent opportunity, sweetheart," her mom said. "And it's lucky that you got in to one so close to where Gregor's going to college."

Boarding school, college, the underland, and lies went hand in hand at the farm for the past summer. It was their dad's idea, say you're going to college and boarding school and go to the underland. Easier said than done.

"Yeah," Lizzie said. "It is pretty great."

They sat down to eat and had what would seem like a pleasant conversation about Gregor and Lizzie both going off to school. Boots said "I'm gonna miss you" ten times and nearly burst into tears twice but other than that it was a conversation looking towards a bright future. One that three of the five people knew would never come.

When it was over Gregor and Lizzie got ready to leave. There were hugs, goodbyes, and tears as the walked out the door. Finally they spoke freely.

"That was really stupid of you, Gregor," Lizzie said. "You might as well have said 'hey mom, we're going to the underland'!"

"What are you talking about?" Gregor asked.

"Your shirt!"

Gregor sighed. "Maybe it was a bit dumb of me but I wanted mom to know that these scares are part of me. They show my past. It's like your rat toy."

"I guess you're right," Lizzie said.

They got into the car and drove down the long driveway. They rolled down the windows, looking towards an uncertain future.